Through the corporate-funded American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), global corporations and state politicians vote behind closed doors to try to rewrite state laws that govern your rights. Participating legislators, overwhelmingly conservative Republicans, then bring those proposals home and introduce them in statehouses across the land as their own brilliant ideas and important public policy innovations—without disclosing that corporations crafted and voted on the bills. ALEC then provides the funding to push this legislation through. Legislation like the NRA's "stand your ground" (kill at will) law that George Zimmerman is using as a defense for the murder of Trevon Martin, a 17 year old who was walking home from the store with Skittles and and Arizona Ice Tea.

Coke and Pepsi both cut ties from the American Legislative Exchange Council - or ALEC. ALEC is responsible for pushing "Stand Your Ground" laws across the country as well as voter suppression measures. Van Jones talks with Ed Schultz about ALEC's agenda.

Hundreds of ALEC’s model bills and resolutions bear traces of Koch DNA: raw ideas that were once at the fringes but that have been carved into “mainstream” policy through the wealth and will of Charles and David Koch. Of all the Kochs’ investments in right-wing organizations, ALEC provides some of the best returns: it gives the Kochs a way to make their brand of free-market fundamentalism legally binding.

This article is part of a Nation series exposing the American Legislative Exchange Council, in collaboration with the Center For Media and Democracy.

► Procter and gamble leaves ALEC

Another major company has left the organization behind Stand your Ground laws. Could ALEC be in hot water with the IRS? Using our tax dollars to lobby with tax exempt status? Robert Greenwald, President of Brave New Films, sounds off on the major ALEC news.